Cost of Living Comparison Between Arica and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Arica and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,077 per month in Arica vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,647 per month in Arica vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,217 per month in Arica vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Arica costs about 4% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Arica and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Arica 20% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.45 CLP 7,568

$5.92 COP 21.5K

42.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.24 CLP 40.5K

$32.75 COP 119.1K

38.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 CLP 7,036

$7.20 COP 26.2K

9.17%

Cappuccino

$2.85 CLP 2,557

$1.70 COP 6,186

67.65%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 CLP 1,171

$1.10 COP 3,996

19.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 CLP 947

$0.72 COP 2,625

47.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.27 CLP 2,929

$1.67 COP 6,067

95.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 CLP 3,762

$3.10 COP 11.3K

35.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 CLP 1,097

$1.06 COP 3,837

15.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 CLP 1,399

$1.25 COP 4,531

24.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 CLP 1,681

$1.39 COP 5,060

35.25%

Eggs

$3.44 CLP 3,082

$2.26 COP 8,229

52.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.39 CLP 9,309

$4.33 COP 15.8K

139.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.64 CLP 5,951

$5.84 COP 21.2K

13.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.76 CLP 9,641

$8.83 COP 32.1K

21.86%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 CLP 1,627

$2.24 COP 8,159

-18.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 CLP 1,347

$1.08 COP 3,911

38.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 CLP 1,376

$1.53 COP 5,563

0.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 CLP 1,364

$1.37 COP 4,987

10.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 CLP 1,099

$1.13 COP 4,109

8.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 CLP 1,209

$1.12 COP 4,067

20.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 CLP 1,124

$0.85 COP 3,080

47.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 CLP 1,084

$0.91 COP 3,305

32.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.28 CLP 4,729

$2.33 COP 8,477

126.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 CLP 1,434

$1.19 COP 4,342

34.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 CLP 1,998

$2.37 COP 8,617

-5.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 CLP 546

$0.79 COP 2,859

-22.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 CLP 457

$1.44 COP 5,223

-64.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,952

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 29.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 CLP 1,289

$0.94 COP 3,410

53.19%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$19.7K CLP 17.6M

$17.9K COP 65.2M

9.84%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$21.8K CLP 19.5M

$26.8K COP 97.4M

-18.65%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$134 CLP 119.9K

$84.0 COP 305.4K

59.49%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.61 CLP 12.2K

$9.60 COP 34.9K

41.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.36 CLP 20.0K

$24.16 COP 87.9K

-7.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.22 CLP 34.2K

$25.88 COP 94.1K

47.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.65 CLP 19.4K

$19.04 COP 69.3K

13.71%

Cinema Ticket

$5.73 CLP 5,133

$3.92 COP 14.2K

46.17%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$430 CLP 385.2K

$306 COP 1.1M

40.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 CLP 45.8K

$57.9 COP 210.6K

-11.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.34 CLP 27.2K

$31.82 COP 115.7K

-4.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.9 CLP 51.0K

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-43.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.5 CLP 73.0K

$107 COP 389.7K

-23.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 CLP 436.4K

$487 COP 1.8M

0.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 CLP 330.8K

$368 COP 1.3M

0.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$880 CLP 788.0K

$826 COP 3.0M

6.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$589 CLP 527.4K

$716 COP 2.6M

-17.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$562 CLP 503.2K

$546 COP 2.0M

2.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.18

13.43

-61.43%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Arica: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Arica versus $487 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 3% higher in Arica, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Arica versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $216 vs $190 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Arica vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,077 in Arica, $1,034 in Medellin – roughly 4% apart. Arica costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,615 per month in Arica and $1,550 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Arica and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Arica, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Arica at $1,077. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Arica it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,034 in Medellin to $1,077 in Arica. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Arica makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.